David Ortiz Extended!

[Rovin Romine]

Sorry as this will doubtless offend some, but while I love Ortiz, he needs to stop being such a whiny child in public and show a little class.   He does not have to answer contract questions.  He does not have to say he'll go to another team if he does not get what he wants.  
 
The only thing "I need a contract extension" talk does is fuck with the fans who are currently basking in post WS bliss.  He's not getting any leverage with ownership.  And it's not like there's an argument on the table that he needs to be traded, or not extended after 2014, or he needs to generate some kind of a kind of groundswell of popularity.  
 
The man's 38.  He's not playing until he's 50, regardless of his interview points.  Personally, I think it's time to go year to year with him, or perhaps, right now, a one year extension taking him to age 40.  This means rewarding him richly for his well appreciated services - I'm not out to penny pinch with him.  However, I'm also not in camp of wanting to pay a final year or two or three of his salary toward the tax threshold if he tweaks his leg again.  If someone wants to give him a 5 year extension, more power to them, more power to him.  Using money that could be spent on a prime FA for a 40/41 year old Ortiz is potentially a great waste of resources. 

 

[smastroyin]

I know.  I was totally going to watch the grand slam from the ALCS again tonight but now that I know the man wants to get paid, it's just not the same.

 

[HighHeat]

Sure, Ortiz bitching about his contract gets a little tiresome, and the Sox have all the leverage, but just fucking pay the man and be done with it.

The 2013 Red Sox do not win the World Series without his heroics, and during his tenure with the club he has arguably been the most valuable member of the team. If the Sox wind up overpaying him by keeping him around one year too long, I would say he's earned it and then some.

At the end of the day, adding another year to his contract is not a terrible risk, and there is value in rewarding him and keeping him happy. I want to see him retire as a Red Sox and be our happy fucking DH.

 

[Hoplite]

He's not in a position to negotiate a contract extension without giving up anything in return. There's very little danger of him walking next year, because if he's productive we could always offer him a qualifying offer. And I doubt there were would be much of a market for a 38 year old DH tried to draft pick compensation.  If he wants an extra year to give him security, then he should be willing to sign for a lower AAV. That would benefit both parties.

 

[YTF]

This is true of any pricey veteran. In that context, then, how much of a risk is Ortiz compared to his peers? If by "peers" you mean fellow DHs, Ortiz is so far superior in his recent performances -- just the stats, not the franchise icon/WS hero thing -- that it's a wonder they don't give him a five year deal. Obviously his age is relevant, as is his recent injury history, all of which make for a legitimate concern on the Sox' part about Ortiz going forward. Still, that's the only concern. I offer this just for perspective -- it strikes me as a pretty unusual case.
 
As for Ortiz talking, I'm not sure he's more focused on his contract than anyone else, I suspect he's just more open and honest about it. Just my opinion but I don't take it too seriously, at least as far as reading into it some sort of real problem.

 
 
It's not just true of any pricey vet, but true of any player though it's easier to move or eat the contract of lesser value. I guess my point is this.....Why extend him right now? Is there any advantage to the Sox extending Ortiz now other than keeping the big man happy? If his contract were up NOW and they wanted to pay him for the coming season based on last year great, but that's not the case. Let's play Devil's advocate for a sec. Say they don't extend and let the chips fall where they may. Ortiz has only an average season. Not horrible but say .265 BA 23HR 71 RBI and .310 OBP. Should the Sox offer him another year and pay him based on 2013? All I'm saying is that his act is getting old. He wants to get paid, I get that. Just stop fucking whining about it in the press. There's a reason he's still in Boston and it's not due to a lack of respect.

 

[Stitch01]

I think offering him something now for '15 that looks like the likely qualifying offer is more than enough of a reward for services already rendered given the handcuffs the current CBA will place him at the end of the year. Beyond that, let him play it out given the ability to QO. I want Papi to finish his career here, but I'm not exactly living in fear of missing out on his age 39 and 40 seasons and I don't really want to risk burning payroll flexibility unless he wants to do something at a lower AAV like 2/22 instead of 1/15 or w/e. Father time gets everyone eventually.

I'm not going to ever begrudge a player for working to maximize his value though. As long as he shows up and tries to rake, whatever he says to the press in the offseason is fine IMO. I think its pretty human to have the season and postseason Ortiz did and feel a little frustrated at not getting a two year extension because he might slow down someday.

 

[67WasBest]

 
Thanks for clarifying. I pretty much thought that is what you meant and on the surface, yes they do have the money and the prospects. The follow up to that would be what do you do with Ortiz? Mostly rhetorical as the teams situation would dictate that, but you could be hamstrung by having him taking up a roster spot if he falls off to the point that they can't move the guy. I suppose if it got to that point they DFA him, but how does that impact them BEFORE they get to that point?   

I thought about a situation where injury did not take away his skills, and instead, Father Time finally caught up with him.  What could they do with a Papi hitting like Stan Papi?
 
If we look at the present construct of the team, I would simply insert Carp and let him try to earn the spot back.  If he broods and becomes a distraction, then you have to DFA him.  I would hate for it all to end with a hostile DFA, but if his actions on being benched warranted that, then so be it.

 

[chrisfont9]

 
 
It's not just true of any pricey vet, but true of any player though it's easier to move or eat the contract of lesser value. I guess my point is this.....Why extend him right now? Is there any advantage to the Sox extending Ortiz now other than keeping the big man happy? If his contract were up NOW and they wanted to pay him for the coming season based on last year great, but that's not the case. Let's play Devil's advocate for a sec. Say they don't extend and let the chips fall where they may. Ortiz has only an average season. Not horrible but say .265 BA 23HR 71 RBI and .310 OBP. Should the Sox offer him another year and pay him based on 2013? All I'm saying is that his act is getting old. He wants to get paid, I get that. Just stop fucking whining about it in the press. There's a reason he's still in Boston and it's not due to a lack of respect.

Yeah, I don't think they need to actually do anything now. Just let it blow over.

 

[Sampo Gida]

I thank him for moving traffic from the Sizemore, Drew, etc threads.  Its been a slow offseason, so its nice to have a diversion. The guy is the best hitter on the team. Folks have been writing his obituary as a hitter since 2009 when he was 33, and he just came off one his best seasons at age 37. The season before was as good before he got injured, and 2011 was not bad either.  At some point he is going to show his age, and the Red Sox get stuck with a lost year.  Hardly the end of the world financially for a team with more money than it can spend due to the LT, although as Papi goes so will the Red Sox, at least until they find a replacement. 
 
I think Papi is better when he is hungry and bitter, so keep him playing for incentives and the next contract.  Extend him 1 year through 2015 after the season starts, and maybe a vesting option for 2016 based on PA.  I wonder if part of the Red Sox success last year is they had so many players on short contracts (Gomes, Victorino, Papi, Koji), incentives (Papi, Napoli, Koji) or players in a contract year (Jacoby, Salty, Napoli, Drew), and guys like Pedey and Lester playing for an extension .   It was a hungry team and they played like it.

 

[Mike F]

 
I assume you meant "Papi would *not* want to go out as a shell of what he was." And I don't doubt you're right about that. But history teaches us that athletes tend to be the last people to accept that they have reached this point. There are exceptions, of course, but in general athletes tend to think they have something left in the tank even when everybody else has given up on them. That degree of confidence and resistance to negative feedback is what got them to the level they're at in the first place. But it makes things awkward at the end. From what we know of Papi's personality I think the likelihood that it will play out this way is pretty high.

Papi should look at the film of Willie Mays stumbling over 2nd base in the WS if he has any doubts about hanging on.

 

[redsoxstiff]

David Ortiz has had to p & m to negotiate...The F O enacts Hamlet and Papi goes to. The public.

daiska(.) etalia couldn't,t find a trough large enough to spew RedSox shekels.

Many cites could follow, granting the inclusion of previous lackluster owners.

If Papi loses it abruptly or at a genteel pace...I couldn't, care less.

We,ve suffered (we've gone to hell in a skillet) if we don't have a several year long miracle...WHO GAS.

 

[xjack]

Willie Mays never made more than $150,000 a year. I'm sure David Ortiz would gladly suffer through a rough final season if he was guaranteed $15 million to do so.

 

[benhogan]

I'm pretty much willing to give him a one year extension every spring until he has a shitty year. He won't ever be on the last year of his deal until he's staring right in the face of being in the last year of his career, and at worst, we'll pay for two shitty years.

Yep this is where I'm at, keep him happy.
 
The shrewd move is to give him a QO at the end of the year, but Papi is different.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Ortiz says he wants one-year extension, talks with team have been "great"

 

[soxhop411]

Ortiz says he wants one-year extension, talks with team have been "great"

So it was all blown out of proportion? 
 

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

So it was all blown out of proportion? 

 
You seem surprised.

 

[CaskNFappin]

Hi I'm David Ortiz.....I've put the team on my back en route to multiple World Series.....please show me who else in baseball can say THAT. No one?.....ok.....1 year 16.5 mil every year until I become replacement level.

Who says no to that? That's insane to me.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Hi I'm David Ortiz.....I've put the team on my back en route to multiple World Series.....please show me who else in baseball can say THAT. No one?.....ok.....1 year 16.5 mil every year until I become replacement level.

Who says no to that? That's insane to me.


I think those saying no to that are not really objecting to paying him until he becomes below replacement level. The problem is with having to commit to 2015 before the 2014 season has even begun. If for some reason he becomes replacement level or worse (injury, age, etc) this season, do they want to be on the hook for 16.5M or whatever the salary is for 2015 if he's useless?

 

[TheoShmeo]

I think those saying no to that are not really objecting to paying him until he becomes below replacement level. The problem is with having to commit to 2015 before the 2014 season has even begun. If for some reason he becomes replacement level or worse (injury, age, etc) this season, do they want to be on the hook for 16.5M or whatever the salary is for 2015 if he's useless?

I don't mean to be cavalier about $16.5 mm but I definitely want them to be on the hook for that something around that amount for the 2015 season and I'm hopeful that the Sox will announce just that in short order. 
 
Why?
 
- Giving Ortiz what he wants will make him happy and eliminate any risk that he leaves after next season.
 
- Ortiz being happy is important to the team's prospects in 2014 given his role and what he brings to the table.
 
- Even the worst case scenario -- 2015 being akin to Schill's 2008 -- wont make it impossible or even substantially difficult for the Sox to field a contending team in 2015.  It's a lot of money but on a budget of $180 mm or so, you can afford to make a mistake or two and still be viable.
 
- Ortiz is a beautiful man.

 

[seantoo]

I don't mean to be cavalier about $16.5 mm but I definitely want them to be on the hook for that something around that amount for the 2015 season and I'm hopeful that the Sox will announce just that in short order. 
 
Why?
 
- Giving Ortiz what he wants will make him happy and eliminate any risk that he leaves after next season.
 
- Ortiz being happy is important to the team's prospects in 2014 given his role and what he brings to the table.
 
- Even the worst case scenario -- 2015 being akin to Schill's 2008 -- wont make it impossible or even substantially difficult for the Sox to field a contending team in 2015.  It's a lot of money but on a budget of $180 mm or so, you can afford to make a mistake or two and still be viable.
 
- Ortiz is a beautiful man.

Well the last statement even in partial jest paints you as partial and therefore renders your opinion suspect. He's 38 and a DH and he's been paid more than any other DH for many years now. He's been paid and paid well, so the team does not owe him anything going forward.
I'd call Dave in and talk to him man to man, and lay it on the line and tell him we need to see at least a few productive months before we extend him to 2015 and that is unneccessary too.
What is his market in 2015? AL team with alot of money which narrows it down alot to the Yanks and exactly who? Seriously I'm sure I'm missing a team maybe even 2 but that's it. And for the Yankees, Arod is coming back @ $21M, Tex (34 YO) @ $22.5M, McCann (30 YO) @ $17M, Betran (37 YO) @ $15M and surely they'll extend Jeter (40 YO) to play what? DH?. With all those old/injury prone players they'll need an open spot at DH more than any other team in the league.

 

[TheoShmeo]

Well the last statement even in partial jest paints you as partial and therefore renders your opinion suspect. He's 38 and a DH and he's been paid more than any other DH for many years now. He's been paid and paid well, so the team does not owe him anything going forward.
I'd call Dave in and talk to him man to man, and lay it on the line and tell him we need to see at least a few productive months before we extend him to 2015 and that is unneccessary too.
What is his market in 2015? AL team with alot of money which narrows it down alot to the Yanks and exactly who? Seriously I'm sure I'm missing a team maybe even 2 but that's it. And for the Yankees, Arod is coming back @ $21M, Tex (34 YO) @ $22.5M, McCann (30 YO) @ $17M, Betran (37 YO) @ $15M and surely they'll extend Jeter (40 YO) to play what? DH?. With all those old/injury prone players they'll need an open spot at DH more than any other team in the league.

No, the last statement was made in total jest and should be treated as such.  To the extent that you are reading in more, you're thinking too hard.  Though there's no denying Tiz's great beauty.  I could have added that another benefit in Tiz signing now is that it would fly in the face of the CHB's mantra and hopefully cause him a little pain and aggravation.
 
My actual point is that Tiz's production has not waned and if the cost of keeping one of the most indispensable players on the team (given his production, that he's a power hitter and that he's one of the team leaders) happy and rowing in the right direction is the risk of what might turn out to be a gold watch contract, then so be it.  If the 2015 contract would materially hamper the Sox if David turned out to be a bust, then my view would be different.  But I don't think it would so my opinion is what it is.
 
PS: I don't see any bad precedent issues here, either.  David Ortiz is sui generis, and everyone associated with the team knows it.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

- Giving Ortiz what he wants will make him happy and eliminate any risk that he leaves after next season.
 
- Ortiz being happy is important to the team's prospects in 2014 given his role and what he brings to the table.

 
He's been in a position of "playing for his contract" before, and publicly angled for an extension (or getting his option picked up in 2010) just like he's doing now, and he's still around.  I don't think there's all that much risk that he leaves. As has been pointed out, his options outside of Boston are limited if he still wants to be paid, and frankly if he's still productive, I don't see the Sox being the least bit hesitant to pay him or even overpay him to bring him back for another year.
 
As for him being happy, unless the fear is that his limping out of the gate in 2010 was a result of not yet having his 2011 option exercised (which I've never seen or heard postulated), I'm not buying the idea that declining to extend him now is going to mean his or the team's performance will suffer.  Based on what Ortiz said to Bradford, it sounds like while he wants the extension, he's not going to agitate and disrupt things until he gets it.  He's going to be a professional, on the field and in the locker room.  And the lines of communication between he and his reps and the Sox front office are going to remain open and cordial.  Sounds hunky-dory to me.

 

[TheoShmeo]

 
He's been in a position of "playing for his contract" before, and publicly angled for an extension (or getting his option picked up in 2010) just like he's doing now, and he's still around.  I don't think there's all that much risk that he leaves. As has been pointed out, his options outside of Boston are limited if he still wants to be paid, and frankly if he's still productive, I don't see the Sox being the least bit hesitant to pay him or even overpay him to bring him back for another year.
 
As for him being happy, unless the fear is that his limping out of the gate in 2010 was a result of not yet having his 2011 option exercised (which I've never seen or heard postulated), I'm not buying the idea that declining to extend him now is going to mean his or the team's performance will suffer.  Based on what Ortiz said to Bradford, it sounds like while he wants the extension, he's not going to agitate and disrupt things until he gets it.  He's going to be a professional, on the field and in the locker room.  And the lines of communication between he and his reps and the Sox front office are going to remain open and cordial.  Sounds hunky-dory to me.

I think this is sort of moot in that he will get an extension and that it will get done before or during spring training.    
 
But if we're going to cherry pick, let's not ignore that Ben extended him last year and he had an outstanding 2013.  He publicly said that he appreciated the gesture and the security of knowing that he had another year in the tank.  He said that he doesn't like going year to year and he probably says that looking at his many teammates who have multi-year deals.  How much the extension impacted his play last year and whether he would have performed at a lower level without an extension are obviously unknowns.

 

[redsoxstiff]

All opinions are suspect... There's the fun or the instigation of the occasional magnificent rage which draws us...not to gain say the hubris of offering opinions ... Asked for or not...we'll kip formed or not...ad infinitem.

The candidates who rise to the top must have a impenitrable vanity which never dies.He or She is will generally continue ... opponents and obstacles are constants...the battlers learn painfully that it is over some with class...
I believe David's performance in the post season should be equalled by FO largesse...

C'est tout.

 

[NHbeau]

Red(s)HawksFan, on 30 Jan 2014 - 11:09 AM, said:

 
He's been in a position of "playing for his contract" before, and publicly angled for an extension (or getting his option picked up in 2010) just like he's doing now, and he's still around.  I don't think there's all that much risk that he leaves. As has been pointed out, his options outside of Boston are limited if he still wants to be paid, and frankly if he's still productive, I don't see the Sox being the least bit hesitant to pay him or even overpay him to bring him back for another year.
 
As for him being happy, unless the fear is that his limping out of the gate in 2010 was a result of not yet having his 2011 option exercised (which I've never seen or heard postulated), I'm not buying the idea that declining to extend him now is going to mean his or the team's performance will suffer.  Based on what Ortiz said to Bradford, it sounds like while he wants the extension, he's not going to agitate and disrupt things until he gets it.  He's going to be a professional, on the field and in the locker room.  And the lines of communication between he and his reps and the Sox front office are going to remain open and cordial.  Sounds hunky-dory to me.

 
 The bolded part is what bothers me. I think they should just pay him and get it over with. These days I don't trust the FA market a bit anymore. Every year we prognosticate how so and so will never get that much for that many years and they always get more dollars and more years. All it takes is one team in a couple years to have a spare 16mil to burn for say 2 years and all of a sudden you're in a bidding war. All the teams have money now. Every last one of them. When the Mariners can out "yankee" the yankees it's time to realize times have changed and I am hopeful the FO thinks the same way. Ortiz in 2015 at 16mil could very well end up a bargain.

 

[Plympton91]

Am I wrong in remembering that David Ortiz had a WAR of about 4 last year? And that we're running at about $5.5 million per WAR? Thus, they're underpaying him pretty regularly over the past decade. Even. If he declines to 3 WAR this year and then 2 next year, they're still almost breaking even on an extension for roughly this year's salary. Pay the man. Let him hit his 500th HR here. And let's all meet in Cooperstown in 2020.

 

[Rasputin]

Am I wrong in remembering that David Ortiz had a WAR of about 4 last year? And that we're running at about $5.5 million per WAR? Thus, they're underpaying him pretty regularly over the past decade. Even. If he declines to 3 WAR this year and then 2 next year, they're still almost breaking even on an extension for roughly this year's salary. Pay the man. Let him hit his 500th HR here. And let's all meet in Cooperstown in 2020.

 
I just had a heretical thought.
 
He's only 69 homers from hitting 500. If he gets there, he'll only be 79 from hitting 521 with the Sox. That's a total of five years of thirty taters a year. It's a lot to ask but, well, I'm not gonna say he can't do it.

 

[Minneapolis Millers]

 
I just had a heretical thought.
 
He's only 69 homers from hitting 500. If he gets there, he'll only be 79 from hitting 521 with the Sox. That's a total of five years of thirty taters a year. It's a lot to ask but, well, I'm not gonna say he can't do it.

We all love Papi, but he'll need good health and fortune to get to 500 total. 148 more would take a miracle.

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

 
He's only 69 homers from hitting 500. If he gets there, he'll only be 79 from hitting 521 with the Sox. That's a total of five years of thirty taters a year. It's a lot to ask but, well, I'm not gonna say he can't do it.

 
I am. A guy who averaged 28.4 HR from ages 33 through 37 is not going to average 30+ from ages 38 through 42. T'ain't in natur', as Long John Silver would say.
 
I won't be shocked if he makes it to 500, though I'd take the under on it. But I will be very surprised if he comes back for another season after he hits that mark, which will probably be something like mid-to-late 2016 if he gets there.

 

[smastroyin]

Here's the proof that people whining about Papi talking about his contract are in the wrong:
 
It's Dan Shaughnessey, agreeing with those people

 

[Montana Fan]

Of course he wants an extension (more guaranteed money). Who the hell wouldn't? Give him a 1 year 15-16 mil extension and announce it when they're passing out the WS rings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jUBbCgMWmE

 

[seantoo]

Here's the proof that people whining about Papi talking about his contract are in the wrong:
 
It's Dan Shaughnessey, agreeing with those people

Totally trumped here, I've switched sides. Whatever side Shaughnessy that curse inventing fear preying horse pile of dung is on then I'm on the other side.

 

[soxhop411]

David Ortiz ‏@davidortiz  1m
Finishing my workout to have another monster season for all those media hater that still doubting!!! pic.twitter.com/Aoorrc1egG
 

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Typo or intentional that "hater" is singular?
 
#fuckyoushank

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

He looks pretty trim. I approve.

 

[pokey_reese]

He looks pretty trim. I approve.

Seriously.  It's almost hard to believe this is the same guy from the mid-2000s.  He has looked slimmer each of the last few years, really bodes well to his commitment to playing at a high level as he ages.

 

[Hoplite]

Seriously.  It's almost hard to believe this is the same guy from the mid-2000s.  He has looked slimmer each of the last few years, really bodes well to his commitment to playing at a high level as he ages.

 
Makes me wonder when he decided, "oh hey, maybe I'd be better at this baseball thing if I exercised."

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

 
Makes me wonder when he decided, "oh hey, maybe I'd be better at this baseball thing if I exercised."

 
I'd bet it is more like "hey, maybe I can continue to be good at this baseball thing if I ate better foods in addition to my regular training regimen".

 

[Hoplite]

 
I'd bet it is more like "hey, maybe I can continue to be good at this baseball thing if I ate better foods in addition to my regular training regimen".

 
Yes, better foods. That must be it.

 

[Paradigm]

He's going to have a great season, and he's a Red Sox legend. I hope the team treats him properly, and I hope that both sides come to a mutually beneficial agreement.
 
But, as Buster Olney points out, the front office holds all the cards here:
 

 
 
Here's a reason why the Red Sox don't really have to negotiate with Ortiz. If he has a great season, they can give him a qualifying offer and all but end any chance another team would even think about signing him, at age 39, because they'd have to give up a draft pick for a player on a short-term deal. Keep in mind: This is not a good time to be a free agent viewed as a DH. Ask Kendrys Morales. 

 

[Reverend]

At the beginning of 2012 he said that he had started losing weight because of his high cholesterol so he wouldn't die young on his kids and wanted to do it without meds. Feel free to believe it or not, but it was pretty widely reported.

 

[Hoplite]

He's going to have a great season, and he's a Red Sox legend. I hope the team treats him properly, and I hope that both sides come to a mutually beneficial agreement.
 
But, as Buster Olney points out, the front office holds all the cards here:
 

 
Exactly, what team would give up a draft pick to sign an aging DH type to a short-term deal?
 

 

[InsideTheParker]

 
Makes me wonder when he decided, "oh hey, maybe I'd be better at this baseball thing if I exercised."

He was scared a couple of years ago by high cholesterol numbers: http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7609437/the-skinny-boston-red-sox-dh-david-ortiz-diet

 

[Hoplite]

He was scared a couple of years ago by high cholesterol numbers: http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7609437/the-skinny-boston-red-sox-dh-david-ortiz-diet

 
I don't feel bad for him, food addiction is a choice.

 

[Minneapolis Millers]

Maybe Papi just has the same photographer as CC Sabathia.

 

[Chief Wahoo]

Alex Speier had an article last week arguing, or at least proposing, that Ortiz was way undervalued.  (Apologies if this was linked already but I didn't see it.)  Pull quote:
 

No other position in the American League featured such an enormous gap in OPS at a position between the top-ranked team and second-ranked team. In other words, a case can be made that the Sox enjoyed a greater advantage in the batter's box from their designated hitters (which means Ortiz) than any other team in the AL had at any other position.
 

 
In addition to that there has to be some tangible marketing value to having David finish his career in Boston.  More Larry's area than Ben's but that would somewhat mitigate the risk of giving him a one-year extension. 

 

[DanoooME]

 
David Ortiz ‏@davidortiz  1m
Finishing my workout to have another monster season for all those media hater that still doubting!!! pic.twitter.com/Aoorrc1egG
 

 

 
Almost looks like someone Photoshopped his head on someone else's body like the Doberman head on the chihuahua in that commercial last night.

 

[Rasputin]

See, I look at that picture and all I can think is that we are so winning 100 games it's not even funny.
 
Oh, and probably the world series too.

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

If that's real, it's the trimmest we've ever seen Papi, I think. He looks like a freakin' Olympic swimmer.

 

[Minneapolis Millers]

He's getting in shape for the Big Papi bobblehead promotion in early April.